Improvement in fences



W. McQ. LANDRETH.

Fences.

No. 202,836. Patented April 23,1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

WILKINSON MOQ. LANDRETH, OF JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,836, dated April 23, 1878; application filed October 2, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

' a fence of ordinary split rails, such as are used in building the. common or worm fence, so that a fence may be made without much additional cost or labor, and at the same time be more durable and substantial, requiring a less amount of space than ordinary rail or Worm fences, making the fence at the same time perfectly secured against the ravages of hogs, cattle, and horses, and nearly secure against the most severe storms of wind. It is so 'constructed that an opening may be made at any point on the line offence for wagons, cattle, 850., without injury to any part of the fence. The fence is made so easily and simply that an ordinary farm-hand can build one.

My improved fence is constructed with posts, cross-pieces, having notches at each end adapted to receive the ends of the rails, and rails, extending from one side of one post to the opposite side of the next, as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fence. Fig. 2 is a top view thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view, showing the cross-pieces in taper form; and Fig. 4, a perspective view, showing the mode of building the fence on the side of a hill and in line therewith.

A are posts, having flat sides B, and secured in the earth in any suitable manner. 0 are cross-pieces, having notches D, so as to receive the ends of rails E, and applied to the posts by nails F, in such a manner as to form a rigid support for the rails.

I construct the series of cross-pieces on each post preferably shorter at the top and longer at the bottom of the post, and the holes or notches for the rails correspondingly nearer together, so as to form, with the rails, side braces or stays for the post, the posts and cross-pieces and rails mutually supporting each other.

H is a foot-piece, for supporting a post on ocks or impenetrable earth. I is a hill-stay,

extending from the top of a post to or near the lowest rail of the opposite post. E are rails or pieces, resting on the ground in front of the posts, and supporting the ends of the lowest cross-pieces, whose other ends rest on the hill-side.

In Fig. 1 I represent a series of crosspieces stepped. In Fig. 3 I show a series in taper form.

The rails are chamfered at each end, so as to fit in the notches D, and one end is chamfered far enough to permit it to be passed through its notch a sufficient distance to remove the other end from its support.

0" are cross-pieces, adapted to support a rail at one side, and supported by a rail at the opposite side. J are top pieces. reaching from post to post, and recessed at their ends, so as to overlap sidewise, as shown in Fig.4. These top pieces are secured by nails, and are used for the purpose of giving additional rigidity to the fence.

In constructing my fence, I first take the common split or sawed posts, of suitable length, and set them in the ground twelve to eighteen inches deep, and at a distance apart in line to suit the ordinary ten or eleven foot split rail, so that the rails will project past the posts at each end a few inches. I set the posts with their flat sides at an obtuse angle to the rails. I next place the rails by the posts, their ends on opposite sides of the posts. I then take short pieces of sound rails, or any other wood or sawed boards, and cut them about twenty inches long, and split them so that they will be from three to five inches in width and about one and a half inch thick. With a common ax I out small notches at each end on each edge, so as to fit on the rails laid by the side of the posts. I place the cross-pieces against the post, across the ends of the rails, so that the notches on the under side shall fit, and confine the rails to their places. The crosspieces are attached to the posts by common fencing-nails. I do this at each and every post along the whole line of fence. The rails are placed on opposite sides of the posts, as before, with their ends resting in the notches of the cross-pieces. I repeat the operation until I get the fence as high as desired. I then take a short piece and cut notches in each end, only on one edge, and secure it to thepost, with the notched edge down and restine on the top rails, by means of two stout nails.

In building the fence I use only one nail to each short or cross piece, except the top or cap cross-piece, in which I use two nails, so that I use nine nails to eight cross-pieces.

1n building" my fence, if it is desired to give more strength to the structure, I make the first or bottom cross-piece about three feet long, and the next above about two or three inches shorter, and so on to the top of the fence, thus making the fence taper in form.

Where rocks prevent the insertion of posts I provide the foot-piece H.

To secure the fence along a hill-side I rest as and for the purpose set forth.

W. McQ. LANDRETH. Witnesses:

G. W. HIcKEY, R. T. CARR. 

